Council members elected by ward more personally invested in voters

Congratulations on the informative article on the Little Turtle road and real estate controversy (Nov. 27, “Group: Road done for developer, not safety“). This is probably the best argument I have heard for electing Columbus City Council members by wards rather than “at large.”

If there had been a council member with a personal stake in the voters in Little Turtle, they would have had a point of contact earlier in the process. If a council member representing their ward was unresponsive, the voters would have had an opportunity to effectively express their displeasure.

Instead, an entirely at-large city council seems to have totally ignored the wishes of the residents most affected by Columbus government’s decisions. This is possible because Little Turtle’s roadway and real estate are largely invisible to voters in the rest of the city.

Dennis Mccarthy, Columbus